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COLUMBUS - Today, Senator Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) introduced Senate Bill 59, which would require bicycle operators and passengers less than 18 years of age to wear bicycle helmets on roadways. It would also establish the Bicycle Safety Fund to assist low-income families in purchasing bicycle helmets.

“The goal of this legislation is to prevent head injuries, which is even more important for children whose brains are still developing. A helmet is the single most effective safety device to accomplish this goal,” said Senator Skindell.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 206,000 children across the United States visited the emergency room for bicycle-related injuries in 2015. Nearly half of these children suffered from traumatic brain injuries. The National Safe Kids campaign estimates that properly fitted bike helmets could prevent 88% of these injuries.

21 states, plus the District of Columbia, already require youth under a certain age to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle on roadways. This legislation would protect hundreds of Ohio children and their families from preventable injuries. It would also help low-income families afford these helmets with money from noncompliance fines related to the helmet requirement.

Columbus – Today, State Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) is calling on Lakewood City Council to reject plans to close Lakewood Hospital in 2016. Speaking at a city council meeting last night, Senator Skindell said there was no need to close Lakewood Hospital and called the closure plans misguided.

Columbus – Today, Ohio Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) called on Lakewood City Officials and the Lakewood Hospital Association to stop plans to close Lakewood Hospital. Lakewood residents joined Senator Skindell for a press conference outside the hospital to voice their support for keeping the facility open.

Columbus – Today, the Ohio Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 352, a highway-naming bill to honor fallen heroes from across the state including Army Specialist Angel L. Lopez of Cleveland. At the request of Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Senator Tom Patton (R-Strongsville), the bill was amended to designate a portion of Interstate 71 within the corporation limits of Cleveland as the “Specialist Angel L. Lopez Memorial Highway.”